Alaafin Sango (also Shango or Ṣàngó) is one of the most famous and powerful kings in Yoruba history, especially known for his place in mythology as the third Alaafin (king) of the Oyo Empire. Revered as a god of thunder and lightning in Yoruba religion, Sango’s story is rich in both historical and mythological elements, and he is celebrated as a legendary figure who contributed to the establishment and expansion of Oyo-Ile (also known as Old Oyo or Katunga), one of the most significant Yoruba kingdoms in pre-colonial West Africa.
In the early history of Old Oyo, the Alaafin, that is, the king, was supreme over other beings. The Alaafin was an absolute ruler whose word was law. He had the power of life and death. He was known as the companion of the gods. Even though the Alaafin was an absolute monarch, he governed with a council known as the Oyo-Mesi, seven councillors of the state, headed by the Bashorun or the Prime Minister.
The Oyo-Mesi did not just elect a new king, they also acted as a check and balance to the absolute powers of the Alaafin to curtail his excesses as many despotic kings would rise during the 500-year history of the Old Oyo Empire.
The Deposition of Ajaka
But around 700 years ago, Basorun Erindinlogunagbonkosedaniifa, the head of the Oyo Mesi approached Alaafin Ajuan, also known as Ajaka, who had succeeded Alaafin Oranyan, and advised him to step down. As, according to the Oyo Mesi, Ajaka was too gentle to be an Alaafin of Oyo.
Unsurprisingly, the calm and gentle king acceded to the request. Unlike his father and predecessor, Alaafin Oranyan, Ajaka was of a peaceful disposition who loved animal husbandry and encouraged it among the Oyo people. Ajaka hated wars and avoided them with other kingdoms surrounding Oyo. In fact, he paid tribute to his cousin Olowu and was seen as weak by the Oyo Mesi.
Therefore, it was not startling that he stepped down. As a result, Ajaka relocated to Igboho where he remained in retirement for the next seven years.
So, what happened in Oyo during Alaafin Ajaka’s seven-year exile at Igboho?
The Rise of Sango
Immediately after Alaafin Ajaka stepped down, the Basorun and the kingmakers replaced him with his fearless and violent half-brother, Sango, who then settled in the capital, Oko.
Alaafin Sango had a habit of emitting fire and smoke from his mouth. His mother was the daughter of Elempe, a Nupe king, who formed an alliance with Oranyan by giving him his daughter as his wife. Thus, Sango was half-Nupe, half-Oyo. The new Alaafin never grew up to know his mother as she died when he was still a baby.
But Sango’s finger was thicker than his father’s waist.
The kingmakers who had coveted him to be the Alaafin because of his wild, warlike disposition and fiery temper to destroy his enemies, did not know what was in store for them.
His first act was to resist Olowu who took advantage of Sango’s youth by demanding tribute from him. But the fiery king refused and Olowu besieged Oko.
With volumes of smoke coming out of his mouth and nostrils, Olowu and his army became terrified and were completely routed.
Therefore, with his fresh victory and other subsequent victories, Sango firmly established himself on the throne. He was, therefore, too joyous and became tyrannical.
With his smoke, fire and lightning, Sango greatly increased the dread his subjects had of him.
Sango defeated other kings that surrounded him and expanded the Oyo kingdom. He fought many battles and was fond of making charms.
His next move changed the face of the Oyo Kingdom for the next 300 years.
Expansion of Oyo
Just like Babangida physically moved Nigeria’s capital to Abuja from Lagos in December 1991, Sango’s next ambition was to move the capital from Oko to Oyo, then known as Oyokoro.
He knew he would meet with strong opposition from the Prince of Oyo so he devised a cunning method to approach the situation without much fighting.
Alaafin Sango wished to worship at the grave of his dead mother, but he did not know her name for she died when he was an infant. She was the daughter of Elempe a Nupe king, who formed an alliance with Oranyan by giving him his daughter as wife, who then bore him Sango.
So, Sango sent his executioner and his Hausa slave to Nupe for the purpose of giving them a horse and a cow for the sacrifice.
The King’s charge to these messengers was that they should listen carefully to the first name uttered in the invocation which evidently would be his mother’s name.
His maternal grandfather, Elempe heartily welcomed and highly entertained them so much, that the Hausa slave forgot himself and the duty he was charged with.
When they returned to Sango, the executioner gave his answer but the Hausa slave could not, probably because he was drunk, and Sango punished him severely.
The punishment he suffered was 122 razor cuts slashed all over his body as a lasting warning for all time. Surprisingly, Sango’s wives loved the scars on the slave’s body because they made him look beautiful and comely.
As a result, they advised that, henceforth, such marks should not be performed upon a slave but on actual members of the royal family as a sign of royalty.
Sango took this advice and placed himself first in the hands of the markers but he could only stand two cuts on each arm as he felt weak and forbade them to proceed any further.
Sango’s marks are now called “Eyo marks” and are solely reserved for the royal family of Oyo. Thus, members of the royal family are called Akeyo.
Taking Oyo as the New Capital
So, when Alaafin Sango was determined to take Oyokoro, it occurred to him that he should employ this as a device by which he could easily fulfil his plan without loss of lives.
He then sent the Hausa slave to the Prince of Oyo, the Oloyokoro, for him to see how beautiful his slave looked with these marks, and that it has been resolved to use the same as a mark of royalty. He, therefore, advised the Oloyokoro to submit himself to be marked along with his principal chiefs for rank and beauty, stating that he, himself, as the Alaafin, had done so.
The Oloyokoro and his chiefs gladly accepted and Sango sent his two markers, Babajegbe Osan and Babajegbe Oru, and they performed their tasks perfectly.
However, on the third day, while the Oloyokoro and his chiefs were still very sore, Sango appeared with his forces against them. As they were too weak, they could not fight and Oyo fell easily into Sango’s hands.
The Alaafin, with shame in his eyes, brutally put the prince and his chiefs to their deaths.
Thus, the seat of government was permanently removed from Oko to Oyo-Ile.
The Deposition of Sango and the Return of Ajaka
Sango reigned for seven years, the whole of which period was marked by his restlessness. He fought many battles and was fond of making charms. He was said to have the knowledge of some preparation by which he could attract lightning that one day killed his wives and his children.
All Oyo was now astir, not only to sympathise with the Alaafin, but also to tell him to step down as the people had an abhorrence for a King who was into making deadly charms; because for one who already has absolute power invested in him by law, this strange power could only be used spitefully, so that no one near him would be safe.
The kingmakers could not take it anymore and the new Basorun, Salekuodi, boldly told Sango that the gods and the people had rejected him as Alaafin and he had to commit suicide. The Alaafin complied and hanged himself on a shea butter tree at Koso. His staunch followers later deified him as a god.
With shame in their eyes, the Oyo Mesi then recalled Ajaka his brother from exile, and he once more held the reins of government. To this day, Alaafin Ajaka remains the only royal in the over 700-year history of Oyo to have ruled twice as king.
Thus, the seat of government was permanently removed from Oko to Oyo-Ile until 1457 when the king of Nupe invaded Oyo-Ile and sacked the capital, forcing Alaafin Onigbogi to flee to Gbere in the Ibariba country where he died. The seat of the Alaafin at the capital was then vacant for 50 years.
However, Oyo would later conquer Nupe and rise from a powerful kingdom to a vast empire reaching its height in the 18th century with Basorun Gaa as the Prime Minister.
Sango’s Legacy
Sango’s influence on Oyo-Ile is profound. His legacy helped shape the Oyo Empire, which, at its height, was one of the largest and most powerful states in West Africa. Sango’s legacy lives on through the worship of Sango in the Yoruba religion, and he is also a prominent figure in other African diasporic religions, such as Santería in Cuba and Candomblé in Brazil. The annual Sango Festival in Oyo honours his memory and celebrates his contributions to Yoruba culture and history.
Sango’s story, thus, bridges history and mythology, representing the dual role of kings as both political leaders and spiritual figures in Yoruba society. His influence on the foundation and expansion of Oyo-Ile left a lasting legacy in the Yoruba world.
Your support can make a world of difference in helping us continue to bring Nigeria’s rich history to life! By donating to HistoryVille, you’re directly contributing to the research, production, and storytelling that uncover the incredible stories of our past. Every donation fuels our mission to educate, inspire, and preserve our heritage for generations to come.
Additionally, if you’re a business or brand, running adverts with us is a powerful way to reach an engaged audience passionate about history and culture while supporting content that matters.
Please stay connected with us through our social media handles and make sure you are subscribed to our YouTube Channel. Together, let’s keep the stories of Nigeria’s past alive.